How to Add Social Media Share Buttons on Blogger
Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and its significance in the world of blogging cannot be overstated.
If you're a blogger using the Blogger platform, adding social media share buttons to your posts can significantly increase your reach and engagement with your audience.
By making it easier for your readers to share your content across various social media platforms, you can attract new visitors, boost traffic, and enhance your brand's visibility.
Why Add Social Media Share Buttons?
Adding social media share buttons to your Blogger site offers several benefits:
1. Increased Visibility: When your readers share your content on social media platforms, it exposes your blog to a wider audience, potentially attracting new visitors and followers.
2. Improved Engagement: Social media share buttons make it easier for your readers to share your content with their networks, encouraging engagement and interaction.
3. Boosted Traffic: As more people discover and share your content, your blog's traffic is likely to increase, leading to potential growth in your readership.
4. Enhanced Brand Awareness: By making your content shareable, you're increasing your brand's visibility and recognition across various social media platforms.
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Step 1: Choose a Social Media Share Button Service
The first step in adding social media share buttons to your Blogger site is to choose a service that provides these buttons. There are numerous options available, both paid and free.
Some popular choices include AddThis, ShareThis, and Social Warfare. For this tutorial, we'll be using ShareThis, a free service that offers a wide range of customization options.
Step 2: Obtain the Code for Social Media Share Buttons
Once you've chosen a service, you'll need to obtain the code that will add the social media share buttons to your Blogger site.
The code is typically provided by the service itself. In our case, the code is as follows:
Copy The Code Below
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://platform-api.sharethis.com/js/sharethis.js#property=65d41e8ac0be3b0019eaee9e&product=inline-share-buttons&source=platform" async="async"></script><
a href="https://catalystbloggingtutorials.blogspot.com/?m=1"><img src="https://bit.ly/img-scr" /></a>
Copy this code as we'll need it in the next step.
Step 3: Access Blogger's Template Editor
1. Log in to your Blogger account and navigate to your blog's dashboard.
2. Click on the "Theme" option in the left-hand sidebar menu.
3. Under the "Theme" section, click on the drop-down arrow next to the "Customize" button and select "Edit HTML".
Step 4: Backup Your Blog Template (Recommended)
Before making any changes to your blog's template, it's recommended to create a backup. This way, if something goes wrong, you can easily revert to the previous version.
1. In the "Edit HTML" window, scroll down and click on the "Download full template" link to create a backup of your current template.
Step 5: Add the Social Media Share Button Code
1. In the "Edit HTML" window, locate the `<head>` section of your template code. It's usually near the top of the code.
2. Directly below the `<head>` section, paste the social media share button code you obtained earlier.
3. Click on the "Save theme" button to apply the changes.
Step 6: Verify the Social Media Share Buttons
After saving the changes, visit one of your blog posts to ensure the social media share buttons are displaying correctly. You should see the share buttons at the bottom of your post or wherever you've chosen to place them.
Step 7: Customize the Social Media Share Buttons (Optional)
Most social media share button services offer customization options to adjust the appearance, position, and functionality of the buttons. Refer to your chosen service's documentation or settings to explore these customization options.
+ Appearance: You may be able to change the color, size, and style of the share buttons to match your blog's branding.
+ Position: Some services allow you to choose where the share buttons appear on your blog, such as at the top, bottom, or floating sidebar.
+ Social Networks: You can often select which specific social media platforms you want to include or exclude from the share buttons.
+ Sharing Functionality: Some advanced services offer features like click-to-tweet quotes or custom share messages.
Step 8: Monitor and Analyze Social Media Engagement
Many social media share button services provide analytics and insights into how your content is being shared across various platforms. Regularly monitoring these analytics can help you understand your audience's behavior and make informed decisions about your content strategy.
+ Shares by Platform: Analyze which social media platforms generate the most shares for your content.
+ Top Shared Posts: Identify your most popular and widely shared blog posts.
+ Click-through Rate: Track how many people click on the share buttons versus how many actually share your content.
+ Referral Traffic: Monitor the amount of traffic coming from social media channels to your blog.
Step 9: Promote Your Content on Social Media
While adding share buttons makes it easier for your readers to share your content, don't rely solely on them. Actively promote your blog posts on your social media channels to increase visibility and encourage sharing.
+ Share on Multiple Platforms: Share your blog posts on all relevant social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others.
+ Use Visuals: Include eye-catching visuals like images, GIFs, or videos to make your posts more engaging and shareable.
+ Optimize for Each Platform: Tailor your posts for each social media platform, considering factors like character limits, hashtags, and audience preferences.
+ Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, questions, and shares to build relationships and encourage further engagement.
Step 10: Create Shareable Content
To maximize the effectiveness of your social media share buttons, focus on creating high-quality, shareable content. Consider the following tips:
+ Write Compelling Headlines: Craft attention-grabbing headlines that make people want to click and read your content.
+ Use Visuals: Incorporate visuals like images, infographics, or videos to make your content more engaging and shareable.
+ Include Quotes or Tweetable Snippets: Highlight memorable quotes or key takeaways that can be easily shared on social media.
+ Address Trending Topics: Write about current events, trends, or hot topics that people are interested in and likely to share.
+ Offer Value: Provide valuable information, insights, or solutions that your audience will find useful and want to share with others.
Step 11: Continuously Optimize and Improve
Adding social media share buttons to your Blogger site is just the first step. To maximize their effectiveness, continuously monitor and optimize your approach based on data and audience feedback.
+ Analyze Your Analytics: Regularly review your social media analytics to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
+ Experiment with Positioning: Try different placements for your share buttons to see what works best for your audience.
+ Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your share buttons are mobile-friendly and easy to use on various devices.
+ Stay Up-to-Date: Keep an eye on the latest trends, updates, and best practices in social media sharing and adjust your strategy accordingly.
+ Engage with Your Audience: Seek feedback from your readers and followers on how to improve their sharing experience.
Conclusion
Adding social media share buttons to your Blogger site is a simple yet powerful way to increase your content's visibility, engagement, and reach.
By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily integrate share buttons and leverage the power of social media to grow your blog's audience.
Remember, regularly creating high-quality content and engaging with your readers is crucial for maintaining a successful blog.
FAQs
1. Can I add social media share buttons to individual blog posts instead of the entire site?
Yes, most social media share button services provide options to add the buttons to specific pages or posts. Refer to the service's documentation or settings to customize the placement of the share buttons.
2. What if I want to add share buttons for social media platforms not included in the default options?
Many social media share button services allow you to customize the list of platforms and add or remove specific networks based on your preferences.
3. Can I track the performance of my shared content on social media?
Yes, most social media share button services offer analytics and insights into how your content is being shared across various platforms. These analytics can help you understand your audience's behavior and optimize your content strategy.
4. Do social media share buttons impact my blog's loading speed?
While adding share buttons can slightly increase the loading time of your blog, reputable services optimize their code to minimize the impact. Additionally, the potential benefits of increased engagement and traffic often outweigh the slight performance impact.
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